By Christina Gillham

March 10, 2008 issue

If spring’s impending arrival has got you wondering what to do about your overgrown yard, you might consider hiring a gardening coach. Gardening coaches provide one-on-one consultations to first-time gardeners, as well as those with a little more experience looking for a second opinion. They’ll help you get a handle on that chaotic overgrowth, as well as identify your flora, make design suggestions or show you how to fertilize properly. “We try to teach people how to do it themselves, not do it for them,” says Susan Harris, a Takoma Park, Md., gardening coach. And, compared with the cost of a full-time landscaper, they are relatively cheap, charging as little as $25 an hour. To find a gardening coach near you, log on to thegardeningcoach.com, a worldwide directory. If there isn’t one for your area, check with your local garden center, nursery or garden club and ask if someone is available to serve as a consultant or coach. Then put on your garden gloves and get ready to face the spring.